US House panel OKs bill requiring feds to shoulder 95% of airport project costs in CNMI, Guam and other rual areas
By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure today unanimously passed a bill that would raise the federal share of airport infrastructure project costs from 80 percent to 95 percent for U.S. airports in rural, remote and underserved communities, including the Nothern Mariana Islands and Guam.
“For communities that depend on their airports, that airport is not a luxury. It is a lifeline,” said CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds, author of H.R. 6448, the Rural Airport Infrastructure Support Act of 2026.
In the Northern Mariana Islands, she noted, airports connect residents to medical care, jobs, education, family, essential services and serve as an essential pipeline for its tourism-fueled economy.
“And when we invest in them, we aren’t just investing in pavement, runways, or terminals. We are investing in access to health care, economic opportunity, tourism, and the basic ability of our people to stay connected," the delegate said.
The Airport Improvement Program is a federal initiative that funds airport infrastructure projects in smaller communities, which face higher infrastructure costs and fewer transportation alternatives than larger metropolitan areas.
The grants are designed to strengthen the nation's aviation infrastructure and are based on passenger volume. If an airport's capital project needs exceed its available entitlement funds, the FAA can supplement its entitlements with discretionary funding.
In May, the Federal Aviation Administration awarded the Commonwealth Ports Authority$2.095 million to support the modernization of Saipan International Airport through the installation of common-use equipment at ticket counters and boarding gates, improving operational flexibility and reducing passenger wait times for travelers and families flying through the island.
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If successfully signed into, H.R. 6448 would shrink the local match for project costs to 5 percent.
King-Hinds said the increased federal support would help reduce the CNMI’s share of eligible airport infrastructure costs, allowing the Commonwealth Port Authority to stretch its resources further while investing in the airport infrastructure that keeps the islands connected.
“The reality is, you cannot build an island airport with mainland economics. The CNMI has no highway to another state, no rail line, and no nearby alternative airport that can simply absorb passengers when aviation infrastructure is damaged or disrupted,” King-Hinds said.
“That is why H.R. 6448 matters. This isn’t about asking for special treatment. It is about recognizing different realities," she added.
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H.R. 6448 is cosponsored by Guam Del. James Moylan and American Samoa Del. Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen.
“For Guam, reliable airport infrastructure is not optional – it is essential to our economy, our national security and our connection to the rest of the country and the world,” Moylan said. “
Radewagen noted that airport projects in small communities often face substantial barriers and delays without reliable federal funding. "Our bill helps ensure much-needed funds to keep our flights safe and reliable," she added.
Other cosponsors include Reps. Nick Begich, Tony Wied, Don Bacon and Stacey Plaskett.
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